SEAT Leon: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The SEAT Leon passes its MOT first time more often than the average UK car, by 2.8 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 169,844 individual SEAT Leon tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

First-time pass rate79.5%
UK national average76.7%
Difference+2.8 points
Tests analysed169,844
Average mileage at test81,025 miles
Average year of manufacture2015
Reliability rank1,458 of 2,005 models

What this means if you are buying one

A 79.5% first-time pass rate means roughly 21 in every 100 SEAT Leons presented for MOT fail on the first attempt. That is better than average, so a well-kept example is a reasonably safe used buy. The average SEAT Leon tested had covered 81,025 miles and was built around 2015.

What this means at salvage auction

Pass rate is a proxy for what a car costs to keep on the road. The SEAT Leon sits 2.8 points above the national average, ranked 1,458 of 2,005 models. On one bought as repairable salvage, the mechanical side is less likely to spring surprises, so your repair estimate should hold up reasonably well.

Before you bid: run the lot through the analyzer, check the car's own record, check the mileage, decode the VIN, and if it carries a marker use the write-off value calculator. See how it stacks up against the Ford Fiesta.

Looking at a specific SEAT Leon rather than the model in general? The free check covers its MOT and mileage history, and the full HPI report confirms the insurance write-off category, outstanding finance and whether it is recorded stolen, from licensed data for 5 credits. Already own one that has been damaged? Work out whether fixing it beats selling it with the repair or scrap calculator, and see the median recorded closing bid for a damaged SEAT Leon: £550 at UK salvage auction, from 16 ended listings, not independently confirmed sales.

Most common MOT failures on a SEAT Leon

  1. A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, 2.7% of tests (2.85x the national rate for this defect)
  2. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 3.4% of tests (1.48x the national rate for this defect)
  3. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 2.8% of tests (1.28x the national rate for this defect)
  4. Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake, 1.3% of tests (1.26x the national rate for this defect)
  5. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 3.8% of tests (1.19x the national rate for this defect)
  6. A tyre seriously damaged, 2.8% of tests
  7. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 2.1% of tests
  8. The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, 2.1% of tests
  9. A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, 1.9% of tests
  10. A tyre cords visible or damaged, 1.9% of tests

From 169,681 DVSA-tracked SEAT Leon tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 5.71% of these flagged SEAT Leon defects as "dangerous", meaning the tester judged the car unsafe to drive away, against 5.11% nationally.

Most common MOT advisories on a SEAT Leon

An advisory doesn't fail the car - the tester flags it as worth watching, but it still passes. A different list from the failures above: what testers are noting on a SEAT Leon before it actually fails on it.

  1. A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, 25% of tests (6.38x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
  2. Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake, 3.5% of tests (1.73x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
  3. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 12.9% of tests (1.38x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
  4. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 29.4% of tests, also fails
  5. A tyre seriously damaged, 16% of tests, also fails
  6. Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured, 12.8% of tests
  7. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 7.2% of tests, also fails
  8. A suspension component excessively damaged or corroded, 5.7% of tests
  9. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 4.9% of tests, also fails
  10. Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users, 3.7% of tests

From 169,681 DVSA-tracked SEAT Leon tests, 2024.

SEAT Leon pass rate by model year

From its 2002 to its 2020 model year, the SEAT Leon's first-time pass rate has risen 19.7 points, from 68% to 87.7%, the usual pattern: a newer model year is a younger car today, so it fails less. First-time pass rate for each SEAT Leon year:

SEAT Leon by fuel type

The SEAT Leon's two most-tested fuel types split by 5.5 points: petrol passes first time 82.4% of the time (94,312 tests) against 76.9% for diesel (74,694 tests).

Other SEAT models

Models with a similar pass rate

If this car is a salvage or write-off

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Run a site about the SEAT Leon? Embed the real DVSA pass-rate badge free, linked back to this page.

SEAT Leon MOT pass rate badge: 79.5%

<a href="https://www.salvageprophet.co.uk/mot/seat-leon"><img src="https://www.salvageprophet.co.uk/badge/seat-leon.svg" width="340" height="92" alt="SEAT Leon MOT Pass Rate: 79.5% - Salvage Prophet"></a>

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SEAT Leon most common MOT failure: A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage (2.7% of tests)

<a href="https://www.salvageprophet.co.uk/mot/seat-leon"><img src="https://www.salvageprophet.co.uk/badge/failure/seat-leon.svg" width="340" height="106" alt="SEAT Leon most common MOT failure: A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage (2.7% of tests) - Salvage Prophet"></a>

All 2,005 models ranked by MOT pass rate